Show-tray for dried fruit



(No Model.)

W. R. M. TORTAT. SHOW TRAY FDR DRIED FRUIT.

No. 508,449. Patented Nov. 14, 1893.

- UNITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE.

- WILLIAM R. M. TORTAT, OF ATOHIS'ON, KANSAS.-

SHOW-TRAY EO-R DRIED FRUIT.

SPECIFIGATIOlN forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,449, datedNovember 14, 1893. Application filed January 9, 1893. Serial No.457,774. (No model.)

To all whom; it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. M. TORTAT, of Atchison, in the county ofAtchison and State of Kansas, have invented newand useful Improvementsin Show-Trays for Dried Fruit; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to means for preserve ing the appearance of driedfruits so that the rest.

latter may be readily salable although kept on exhibition.

Ordinarily dried fruits are kept in the retail stores in their originalpackages and covered to prevent undue drying, and such quantities as areexhibited quickly become unsalable owing to their becoming excessivelydry, hard and dirty.

The object of my invention is therefore, to provide means wherebyquantities of different fruits that have been subjected to the processresulting in what is commonly known as dried fruit, may be kept onexhibition without deteriorating, and, in fact, will have theirappearance improved and their value enhanced.

To these ends my in ventio'n consists in the exhibition tray comprisingthe construction substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lisa plan View of my improvedexhibition tray. Fig. 2- is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1; and Fig. 3-is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.1.

Like letters of reference indicatelike parts in all of the figures.

At A is indicated a pan having the upper edges of its sides bentoutwardly to form flanges, as at a, and at B is indicated a reticulatedcover for the pan secured thereto,which cover may be of galvanized wirenetting or punctured galvanized sheet iron and becomes the platform onwhich the dried fruits will The cover may besecured to the pan in anysuitable way, as by solder,but I-prefer the construction shown, in whichthe flanges a are bent around and over the edges of the cover andpressed firmly down thereupon to clamp the same. With this construction,solder may also be used to more firmly secure the edges of the coverwithin the flanges.

At G are indicated partitions of which any number desired, may beemployed. Each partition consists preferably of a narrow strip of sheetmetal having at each end a foot piece or yoke c fitting over and adaptedto slide upon the flange a. The said foot pieces or yokes may beintegral with the metal of the partition or they may be pieces of bentsheet metal soldered thereto.

At one end of the cover or platform B,is a hinged section b forconvenience in cleaning the pan when necessary, and this section mayextend entirely across one end of the cover or it may comprise only onecorner thereof as shown.

At b is indicated a stay piece (of which there may be several) forsupporting the platform at intermediate points, and having openings b topermit water to pass through.

The tray is to be used as follows:-Wet sand having been placed in thepanin the space below the reticulated cover or platform 13, driedcurrants, raisins or other dried fruits may be piled upon the platformbetween the partitions which latter may be applied in any number bypassing their yokes over the ends of the flanges and sliding them alongthereon as far as desired. The tray may then, if desired, be placed in ashow case. If necessary, water, hot or cold, may be supplied to the panand the sand therein,through the opening formed by lifting the hingedsection b. The moisture arising from the wet sand serves to keep thefruit in its original condition, and in fact improves its appearance bypartially filling the cells of the fruit that have been closed by thedrying process, and,by softening it, place it in asalable shape beforecustomers.

The removable and adjust-able partitions render it possible to exhibitvarying kinds and quantities of goods.

Having thus described the nature of my invention and explained a meansfor carrying it into effect, although without attempting to set forthall of the iormsjin which it maybe embodied trailer the modes of 'itsemployment,I declare that what I claimis- 1. A moistening tray for driedfruit, com- 5 prising in its construction a pan, a reticulated platform,and a plurality of partitions extendingacross the platform and adjustahletoward and from each other, for the purpose set forth.

2. A moistening tray for dried fruit, 00m- [0 prising in itsconstruction a pan adapted to retain wet sand and having outwardlyturned flanges, a reticulated cover or platform securedto'said flanges,and a partition having afoot piece or yoke at each end, fitting over thesaid flanges and adapted to slide thereon, r 5 substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

WILLIAM R. M. TORTAT. Witnesses:

J. W. TRUESDELL, P. J. CLARK.

